The event attracted an average of 6.1 million viewers, and a 25.5% share of viewing between 8pm and 10pm.

BBC1's audience reached a 15-minute peak of 6.6 million as the awards drew to a close – surprises included ITV's exposé of Jimmy Savile and the BBC's coverage of the London Olympics failing to win prizes.

Viewing bounced back after last year's TV Baftas attracted a relatively paltry 3.5 million viewers, losing out in a head-to-head with ITV1's Soccer Aid, which drew an audience of 4.5 million.

Amanda Berry, the Bafta chief executive, said: "2012 was a memorable year for the UK, and we saw some truly outstanding work in television. I am thrilled that so many people tuned in last night, delivering our highest television audience since 2004. The ratings this year support the fact that the Arqiva British Academy Television Awards remains the biggest night in British television and we congratulate all our nominees and winners."

The Baftas narrowly pipped ITV drama The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, starring Paddy Considine and the ubiquitous Colman, which averaged 5.9 million viewers and a 24.5% share head to head with the Baftas over two hours.

Channel 4 plumped for a repeat of The Inbetweeners Movie against the Baftas, which averaged 2.3 million viewers between 9pm and 10.55pm.

The film, which attracted an 11% share of viewing, was by some distance Channel 4's biggest-rating programme on Sunday.

The Sir Alex Ferguson retirement edition of BBC1's Match of the Day attracted 3.2 million viewers, a 28.6% share, between 10.25pm and 11.55pm.

Sky Sports 1's coverage of Manchester United v Swansea City, Ferguson's final match in charge at Old Trafford, attracted an average of 1.6 million viewers between 3.30pm and 6.30pm.

Saturday night score for Cowell

Simon Cowell's Britain's Got Talent dramatically increased its lead over BBC1 rival The Voice in the battle of Saturday night ratings, with the gap between the two increasing to 3.5 million viewers.

The ITV1 talent show attracted an average of 10.9 million viewers, a 46.8% share between 7.45pm and 8.45pm, with a 15-minute peak of 11.8 million.

This is up significantly on the previous week's viewing figure which averaged 9.5m. The show was screened at a slightly later time due to coverage of the FA Cup final.

BBC1's The Voice, which has attempted to boost ratings by allowing judges to "steal" each others' artists as it moved to the "battle" rounds, attracted an average of 7.4 million viewers between 8.35pm and 9.50pm.

It managed a 31.8% share of viewers and a 15-minute peak of 8.1 million.

The new system did not pay-off with average viewing down almost 600,000 week on week.

Final countdown

Nine million viewers saw the climax of the Wigan's 1-0 upset win over Manchester City in the FA Cup final on Saturday.

ITV1's FA Cup final Live attracted an average of 5 million viewers, a 31.5% share, between 3.15pm and 7.45pm.

The audience peaked at 9 million between 6.45pm and 7pm, according to an analysis of 15-minute viewing, with a five-minute peak of 9.4 million.

Live match coverage averaged 7.2 million viewers, according to ITV.

Last year's final between Chelsea and Liverpool averaged 5.45 million viewers – with a 15-minute peak of 10.4 million and a five-minute peak of 11.21 million – the biggest-rating FA Cup final since 2007.

All ratings are Barb overnight figures, including live, +1 (except for BBC channels) and same day timeshifted (recorded) viewing, but excluding on demand, or other – unless otherwise stated. Figures for BBC1, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 generally include ratings for their HD simulcast services, unless otherwise stated

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